5 Facts about Colorism You Might Not Know

When you hear to be discriminated against based on the color of a persons skin what do you
think of? Most people will probably say racism, which in some sense isnt completely wrong.
But, to be discriminated against based on an individuals skin color is actually a very specific
form of prejudice called colorism.
Some people might not immediately recognize the differences between colorism and racism,
which is completely okay. So, I thought that I would share 5 important things you might not
know about colorism that will give you a better understanding of what it is.

1. There IS a difference between racism and colorism

Racism- prejudiced attitudes and/or discriminatory acts against people based on their actual or
perceived racial status
Colorism- prejudiced attitudes and/or discriminatory acts against people based on the color of
their skin
Colorism is a form of racism but there is one very important difference. Colorism is a type of
discrimination of dark skin toned people of a certain race by others of the same race. It is when
people of a certain race discriminate or treat others of the same race differently simply because
they have a different, generally darker, skin tone. Racism, on the other hand is more general and
can be seen between different races regardless shade of skin tone.
Now, some might argue that both definitions appear to be similar. Again, in some sense they are
considering one is a slightly modified form of the other, but the difference is that colorism can be
seen within races. What does that exactly mean? Well, first I would like to point out the fact that

people from different races can be the same skin color and vice versa, people of the same race
can have different skin tones.
(Sonam Kapoor, Indian)

(Alyssa Milano, Italian-American)

<Different races but same skin tone>

(Also Indian but different skin tone than Sonam)

As it can be seen the differences between skin tones within just one race can be quite significant.

2. Colorism has been around for a while

As Oprah Winfrey once put it, colorism really boils down to the belief that the lighter the skin
tone the prettier you are, the smarter you are.

This idea of colorism has been around for centuries, most notably since the 17th century. Around
this time period is when European cultures really began to emphasize the beauty and
importance in a fair complexion. Higher class European women would paint themselves with
layers and layers of white makeup to make themselves appear fair. This showed that these
women were wealthy and did not need to work under the sun where they would become tan like
the lower/working class. In the 17th century when people were tan it was more than likely
assumed that they were peasants and therefore inferior to those with light skin tones. The same
exact thing can be seen happening in Japanese culture and history as well.

3. Colorism is most evident in the Middle East, Asia, and South Asia
For women in countries such as India, Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan colorism is a huge part
of their lives. In most parts of that side of the world the color of a females skin determines the
possibility of a good marriage, the amount of success they may have in their professional careers,
their happiness, and as sad as it might be, essentially their worth.

(A young bride is caked with makeup to make her complexion seem fair.)

In many countries in that part of the world there is an arranged marriage system intact. Parents,
grandparents, and match makers find suitable husbands for girls. Women with fair complexions

are more apt to find a good match right from the get go. Women with dark complexions are
generally rejected 3-4 times by different suiters just because dark skin is not ideal for baby
making in the future and for showing off a pretty bride. Women with fair skin also have more
job opportunities because by societies standards they are clearly much more beautiful and more
likely to do better at their jobs.
Being a dark skinned woman in China, Afghanistan, India, or Pakistan is not easy. Women with
dark complexions are bullied, looked down upon, and told they are not beautiful because that is
that I what they have always been taught.

4. Colorism is not exclusive to women

Do you remember this cute little hashtag that went viral on Twitter, Vine, Instagram and pretty
much took over the online world? #lightskinnedniggasbelike

As hilarious as they might be, theyre all stereotypes of men with fair complexions. All of the
memes you find on the internet regarding this hashtag are assumptions made about fair men and
what kind of people they are. Its as a joke and in that sense is slightly different than how
colorism affects women but it falls under the same category.

5. Skin bleaching and lightening cream companies will be worth $23

BILLION by 2020!
In south Asia ads for skin bleaching creams like Fair and Lovely are banned in a number of
location. Yet, they can be found almost anywhere and everywhere. And who do you think are the
faces of these bleaching creams? Famous celebrities like Priyanka Chopra and Shahrukh Khan.

Millions upon millions of people use

bleaching and lightening creams to make their complexion seem lighter because clearly its the
cool thing to do since celebrities are doing it. What some people fail to recognize is that there are
many risks associated with skin bleaching.
First of all, skin bleaching creams can essentially be bought anywhere. In all honesty, why is that
even legal? Skin bleaching just sounds scary.
Some of the creams being sold could be made from illegal substances such as hydroquinone,
which can be extremely dangerous if not prescribed by a doctor.
The side effects of using a bad cream or any bleaching cream in general are skin thinning,
inflammation of the skin, possible burning, permanent bleaching, and also blotchiness on the

skin. Yet, even with so many side effects people are still willing to buy bleach creams and further
invest into the skin bleaching business.

What you can do

Who is to be blamed for this? Is it societies fault? Is it the fault of our ancestors? Theres no
purpose in pointing fingers at this point. What we should be focused on is change for the future.
#UnfairAndLovely is something that went viral on all social media platforms late 2015. It is an
anti-skin bleaching/pro melanin campaign. It urges young women and men of all skin colors to
post pictures of themselves without any shame. It encourages them to embrace their skin color
and to show to the world that all skin tones are beautiful. Movements like this are what we need
to show the world that its okay to look different from what is primarily seen in mainstream
media.
What you can do is take part in this movement. Post a picture of yourself and hashtag it
#UnfairAndLovely, let people know that you love the melanin in your skin and you are not
ashamed of it. Discourage skin bleaching by educating others on the effects of it. Help people
understand that having a lighter or darker skin tone does not dictate who you are and what you
are worth. Tell the world that all melanin is beautiful.